The first states

Topics

  • The agricultural revolution and the first states.
  • Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians and Hittites.
  • The “Axial Age.”
  • Jewish history from temple to prophets.

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Van de Mieroop – 1997 – The origin and character of the Mesopotamian city

Watch

This is a lecture by my old teacher, James C. Scott. These are some questions to think about as you watch:

  1. How does Scott describe the world before the emergence of the state?
  2. Why did the first states arise?
  3. What was life like in the first states?
  4. Who were “the nomads”? How does Scott characterize their lives?

You can read more about Scott here: Jennifer Schuessler, “James C. Scott, Farmer and Scholar of Anarchism.” The New York Times, December 4, 2012.

 

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Activities

This is where the second presentation goes.